A network is a communications facility that permits a number of workstations, computers or other equipment (hereinafter collectively “computer(s)”) to communicate with each other. Portions of a network involve hardware and software, for example, the computers or stations (which individually may comprise one or more central processing units, random access and persistent memory), the interface components, the cable or fiber optics used to connect them, as well as software that governs the access to and flow of information over the network. In a network, network architecture defines protocols, message formats and other standards to which the computers and other equipment, and software must adhere.
The physical transmission of data in a packet network is typically ensured using carrier sensing to defer transmission until the network is clear. In brief, a transmitting station (e.g., computer or user 10) listens or monitors the transmission medium (e.g., cable 20) before transmitting to determine whether another station (e.g., computer or user 10′) is currently transmitting a message, e.g., to learn whether the medium is free. For example, media access management determines whether the transmission medium (or carrier) is presently being used. If the medium is not being used, the data frame is approved for transmission. Even after transmission of the frame has begun, the carrier is monitored. While the carrier is busy, the carrier is continuously monitored until no other stations are transmitting. A specified random period of time is allowed after determining that no other stations are transmitting for the network to clear before beginning transmission.
However, other station(s) having messages to send may all listen simultaneously, discern that the transmission medium appears quiet, and begin to transmit messages simultaneously, for example to a common station. The result is a collision and garbled messages. If signal collision is detected, receiving stations ignore the garbled transmission and transmitting stations stop transmitting messages immediately and transmit a jamming signal over the medium. Following collision, each transmitting station will attempt to re-transmit after waiting for a random backoff-delay time period for the carrier to clear. Thus, a station transmitting must listen sufficiently long to ensure that collision has not occurred. Such systems, however, may result in long latency times for the delivery of data packets and do not optimally use the available system bandwidth. What is needed in the art is a means for reducing the latency times of at least data packets intended for a common terminal and for improving the use of available system bandwidth.